Steve Kerr keeps emotions in check in coaching debut

LAS VEGAS -- Steve Kerr led the Warriors to an NBA summer league win in his professional coaching debut Friday and afterward indicated butterflies hadn't been in his stomach.

Those emotions, he admitted, actually came two nights before the Warriors cruised to a 70-58 win against Charlotte when they had scrimmaged a collection of NBA Development League players.

"I felt nervous for that," Kerr said. "Getting that under my belt the other night kind of helped me feel more comfortable with what happened tonight. I was having fun."

Kerr signed a five-year contract worth more than $22 million to replace Mark Jackson with minimal coaching experience. He used to coach his son's AAU team. For fun at the 2011 All-Star weekend, he came out of the broadcast booth to be an assistant coach for the sophomores in the Rookie Challenge.

Against the Hornets, Kerr appeared comfortable in cargo shorts seated on the bench and holding up a clipboard in the huddle. He didn't stand often, but did so to enable his soft voice to better be heard at Thomas & Mack Center. There was some talking to the officials, too, even as the Warriors never trailed and led by as many as 26 points.

"There were a few tough calls that didn't go our way, and I got up and made my point," Kerr said. "Nothing too demonstrative."

Said general manager Bob Myers of Kerr, "He seems relaxed."

It was Kerr's game to manage as the experienced head coaches on his staff, Alvin Gentry and Ron Adams, did not sit on the sideline with him as they took notes on the game. Mostly, what they saw on the court after three days of practices was good.

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Point guard Nemanja Nedovic led the Warriors with 17 points, Orlando Johnson had 12 and James Michael McAdoo added 11 as Golden State extended its summer league winning streak to 15 games.

Before the contest, a banner recognizing the Warriors' summer league championship last season was raised.

"I've never felt anything like this," Kerr mused. "Summer league pressure to continue the winning streak. I thought I was going to get a little cushion before the pressure started."

Andre Iguodala won't participate in USA Basketball national team training for the FIBA World Cup while recovering from right knee tendinitis, according to Kerr.

A 2012 Olympic gold medalist, Iguodala earlier in the offseason received an injection for the tendinitis that caused him to miss six games last season. The team had determined no surgery would be needed and that the injection and rest would help the 30-year-old recover.

Kerr said after speaking with Iguodala on Thursday that the player was ahead of schedule and feeling good even though he isn't yet able to get on the court.

"He should be on the floor in our practice facility before too long," Kerr said. "I can't put a date on it, but the medical staff has told me no problems in terms of being ready for (Warriors training) camp."

The Warriors tried but couldn't make a deal before seeing their $9.8 million traded player exception expire Thursday evening in part because teams were in a holding pattern before LeBron James agreed to sign with Cleveland. "Free agency was kind of frozen," Myers said. "We wish it would have thawed yesterday or the day before." With the traded player exception expiring, Myers said he was limited to trades and minimum contracts as ways to add to the roster. He said he is looking to add a stretch forward, evaluating options for a wing shooter and staying in touch with center Jermaine O'Neal.

Shaun Livingston, whose signing was made official, will have his sprained right big toe from last season in a cast for three to four weeks before being reevaluated. Myers said he liked Livingston's ability to back up at point guard and also play alongside Stephen Curry, adding it was "probably my fault" that the backup spot wasn't adequately addressed last season.

Boston Celtics assistant coach Darren Erman, who the Warriors fired last season due to a violation of company policy, watched the game alongside Harrison Barnes, Festus Ezeli, Draymond Green and some of his former co-workers. Erman was the head coach for the Warriors' undefeated summer league team last season.